


announcing your place (in the family)

by givebackmylifecas



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Behavior, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, M/M, Married Barisi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26312980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/givebackmylifecas/pseuds/givebackmylifecas
Summary: “I promise you, they don’t hate you.”Sonny shakes his head, clutching at Rafael. “They do. It’s been a month and they still ignore me, shout down my ideas. I thought you said the Manhattan SVU would be different.”Rafael bites his lip. “I know, I thought it would be, baby. Maybe I should have told Liv about us, instead of letting Dodds do it.”AU of the beginning of S16 where Sonny and Rafael have been married for years but no one knows
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 150





	announcing your place (in the family)

**Author's Note:**

> TWs for canontypical behaviour and homophobia (no slurs), outing, and amaro and rollins being assholes
> 
> title from the mary oliver poem 'wild geese'

Rafael wakes to Sonny climbing into bed next to him.

“Hey,” he mumbles when Sonny wraps his arms around him. “You’re back late.”

Sonny sighs heavily and Rafael turns in his embrace, letting his husband press his face to his chest.

“Yeah, sorry. I had to finish up paperwork.”

Rafael strokes a hand up Sonny’s back and buries his fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. “Until now? It’s what… one am?”

“Nearly two,” Sonny mutters, leaning into the touch. “I did Rollins’ and Amaro’s too.”

“Why?” Rafael asks. “That’s not your job, baby.”

Sonny sniffs, immediately worrying Rafael. “Yeah, well, don’t want to give them another reason to hate me.”

Rafael clenches his jaw, but doesn’t stop stroking Sonny’s hair. “They don’t hate you, mi amor.”

“Yeah right,” Sonny says thickly and Rafael is alarmed to feel a wet spot on the front of his shirt.

Sonny lets out a whimper and Rafael tightens his grip on him. He smooths his hand across Sonny’s back, pulling him as close as he can, making gentling noises.

“I promise you, they don’t hate you.”

Sonny shakes his head, clutching at Rafael. “They do. It’s been a month and they still ignore me, shout down my ideas. I thought you said the Manhattan SVU would be different.”

Rafael bites his lip. “I know, I thought it would be, baby. Maybe I should have told Liv about us, instead of letting Dodds do it.”

“Has she mentioned it to you?” Sonny asks and Rafael shakes his head.

“She hasn’t… which makes me question whether she was actually told.”

“So then… So they aren’t even homophobic, they just think I’m bad at my job,” Sonny says and Rafael tries his best to wipe the tears rolling down his husband’s face.

“You are not bad at your job,” Rafael tells him, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “You’re an amazing detective, who is also breaking his back going to law school. You’re smart, you’re empathetic, you’re kind, you’re good with victims and perps. If your colleagues can’t see that then… fuck them!”

Sonny makes an attempt at a laugh. “Is that your official opinion as their ADA?”

Rafael nods. “Yeah, it is. It’s also my opinion as your husband and this bullshit ends now. I’m talking to Liv tomorrow.”

“Don’t, I don’t want this to mess up your friendship with her.”

Rafael scoffs. “As if that is in any way comparable to you. I’ve worked with that team for a few years now and Rollins and Amaro have nothing on you. If Liv can’t see that, then she doesn’t deserve to have you on her squad. I’ll talk to her.”

He kisses the top of Sonny’s head again, then presses a few more to his forehead and damp cheeks.

“You don’t have to,” Sonny insists, burying his face in Rafael’s neck again.

“If it’s upsetting you this much, then I think I do.”

Sonny sighs and his warm breath sends goose bumps racing across Rafael’s skin. “I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I offer to do any work that needs done, you know, like interviewing perps, talking to the vics – I do even the shitty stuff like checking IDs with the unis.”

“You’re a hard worker,” Rafael agrees. “Didn’t you start a day early too? Because you heard about the case on the scanner.”

“Yeah I did,” Sonny admits. “I don’t know what to do, Rafi. I’ve tried everything! I bought lunch, I go on coffee runs – do you know how much paperwork I’ve been doing? And Rollins still talks over me, Amaro just ignores me, and every time I speak Tutuola looks at me like I’m an idiot. Benson won’t even let me interview perps alone.”

“I’m not in court until the afternoon, so first thing tomorrow, I’ll speak to Dodds and remind him just why he transferred you. Then I’m speaking to Liv. You’ve done nothing wrong and I know you’re the newbie, but this is too much, and I won’t let them upset you further,” Rafael promises with the sort of fervour he usually reserves for the courtroom.

Sonny pulls away enough to kiss Rafael on the mouth. “I love you,” he says and Rafael smiles.

“I love you too. We’ll get this sorted out, I promise, Sonny. Now try and get some sleep, we both need to be up far too soon.”

* * *

Rafael scowls as he walks into the precinct. Talking to Dodds had been singularly unhelpful. Apparently, he’d decided that Liv didn’t need to be informed of Sonny and Rafael’s relationship personally since it was in Sonny’s file and he assumed Liv would read it eventually.

He spots Sonny immediately, sat at his desk, a bowl of sweets held out towards Rollins who looks unimpressed. Rafael sighs. He’ll be the first to admit that Sonny is extremely enthusiastic, bordering on over-eager. In fact, Sonny was even more labrador-like when they first met seven years ago when Rafael was still working in Brooklyn and Sonny was a still at the academy. But what annoys him so much is that all of his husband’s hard work and effort is being completely disregarded because he isn’t as cynical and jaded as the other detectives at SVU.

He strides right past Amaro and towards Liv who is talking to Fin at his desk, pretending not to notice Rollins muttering something about him being on the warpath and Sonny’s answering frown.

“Sergeant Benson, could I have a word with you in your office?” he asks sharply and she frowns.

“Sure,” Liv says slowly, exchanging a glance with Fin. “What’s this about? I thought everything was sorted on the last case.”

Rafael clenches his jaw, repressing his urge to snap at her. “I’d rather discuss this matter in private.”

Liv nods, gesturing towards her office. Behind them, he can hear Amaro and Rollins already debating his reason for wanting to talk to Liv, and he uses their distraction to shoot his worried looking husband a reassuring smile.

They enter Liv’s office and she closes the door behind them. She gestures for him to take a seat and then does the same, leaning on her desk.

“So, Rafael, what can I help you with?”

“It’s about your newest addition to the squad,” he says stiffly. “Detective Carisi.”

“Carisi?” Liv repeats. “What about him? Has he messed up his paperwork?”

Rafael bites back his instinctually aggressive first retort. “No, in fact Rollins and Amaro’s case notes have been a lot better since he started doing them.” Liv looks confused and Rafael uses her confusion to press on. “Didn’t notice that, did you? It’s alright, I did. The same way I’ve noticed Rollins talking over him, Fin and Amaro treating him like an idiot, and you letting him talk to neither victims nor perps alone. And I have to wonder why that is, Liv.”

Liv blinks as he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

“I… Well, he’s young and inexperienced. I wasn’t sure he’s a good fit for us,” she says carefully.

“Why not?” Rafael demands.

Liv sets her jaw. “Well, for one thing, he’s been transferred three times in as many months. He told me so himself.”

“And you didn’t think to wonder why?”

“He didn’t explain.”

Rafael laughs. “And you didn’t look over his file, or at the very least his transfer papers?”

“I’ve been busy,” Liv says defensively. “But if there’s a red flag that I’ve missed, I’d appreciate it if you told me.”

“There are no red flags,” Rafael says, barely refraining from shouting. “But if you’d actually done your damn job as his commanding officer and read his file, I wouldn’t have to wake up at two am to my husband only just coming home because your detectives are making him do their paperwork. I wouldn’t have to try and convince him that Manhattan SVU isn’t like the other precincts and that you aren’t in fact, out to get him for being gay and married to an ADA!”

Liv has gone pale, her eyes wide as she stares at Rafael. “He thinks we’re homophobic?”

“What else is he supposed to think when someone in Staten Island SVU outed him and he was immediately transferred, and then when word got out the same thing happened in Brooklyn? Everyone in Queens already knew by the time he got there, which is why he only lasted a week before requesting a transfer. Chief Dodds was supposed to speak to you, to make sure it didn’t happen again,” Rafael says, well aware that he’s definitely yelling now.

“He didn’t,” Liv says. “Dodds didn’t say a damn thing. None of us knew, I promise Rafael. For god’s sake I’ve known you years now and I didn’t even know you were married, let alone to Carisi.”

Rafael sighs. “It’s for exactly this reason, Liv. We kept it a secret to protect him and his career, but clearly that wasn’t working so Dodds suggested he come and work here. I called him this morning and he said there were notes for you in Sonny’s file.”

“I’m sorry Rafael,” she says sincerely. “I really am. I’ve been struggling more with being in charge than I thought… and with Noah. I should have read his file and I should have been making sure the squad was working cohesively.”

“You should have,” Rafael agrees. “He’s a great detective, Liv – I know I’m biased, but he is. He’s eager and enthusiastic, but all he really wants is to help the victims. Give him a chance and you’ll see that.”

Liv nods, but before she can speak, there’s a knock and the door opens, revealing Amaro and Rollins, with Sonny stood awkwardly behind them.

“Can I help you?” Rafael asks snidely and he sees Sonny grin briefly.

Rollins looks over at Liv. “We heard raised voices, thought we’d make sure everything was okay.”

“Everything’s fine, Amanda,” Liv says with a sigh.

“I told you there was no need,” Sonny tries.

“Oh yeah?” Amaro asks him with a glare. “And how would you know?”

Rafael shoots Liv a pointed look when Sonny’s face crumples, then scowls at Amaro. “I think being my husband would enable him to judge whether I was angry enough for Sergeant Benson to require your assistance, Detective.”

“Husband?” Amaro and Rollins say at the same time.

Sonny sort of shrugs when they round on him. “I thought you knew – or at least the sarge did.”

“I didn’t,” Liv sighs. “And that’s on me. I’m sorry Carisi, I’d like to personally assure you that your relationship won’t affect the way anyone here treats you.”

“Uh, thanks,” Sonny says, smiling awkwardly at her and if they were at home, Rafael would already have him wrapped in a hug.

“Liv,” Fin appears in the already crowded doorway. “Just got a call, two women were attacked in Central Park.”

“Nick and I are on it,” Rollins says, already making to leave, but Liv stops her.

“No,” she says. “Carisi, you can take lead on this. You and Fin go.”

Sonny smiles, wider and more genuine than Rafael has seen in months. “Sure thing, sarge.” He hesitates a moment, then adds: “I’ll see you later, Rafi.”

“See you at home, querido,” Rafael says, just because he likes seeing his husband blush and Amaro squirm. “Liv, I’m afraid I have to get back to the office. How about drinks tomorrow?”

She nods. “Alright. You can bring Carisi and the two of you can explain how you failed to mention your marriage for the last three years.”

Rafael smirks. “Sure, but you’re buying.” He gets to his feet and brushes past Rollins and Amaro who are still standing in the doorway looking dumbfounded. “Detectives.”

* * *

“You look happy,” Rafael says when he arrives home later that evening to find Sonny sprawled on the couch in his boxers and a sweatshirt that’s definitely not his, unless he suddenly transferred to Harvard.

Sonny smiles at him. “Sergeant Benson actually treated me like a grown up today and Fin only rolled his eyes once.”

Rafael sheds his coat and suit jacket, loosening his tie and kicking off his shoes before joining Sonny. He crawls between Sonny’s legs, draping himself along the length of his husband’s body and enjoying the way Sonny’s arms immediately come up to wrap around him.

“I’m glad things are working out, cariño.”

“Me too, baby,” Sonny says. “And thank you, for what you did today.”

“Pff,” Rafael says dismissively. “Don’t thank me. Dodds didn’t call Liv and she didn’t read your file or pay attention to how the squad was acting, it had to be addressed.”

Sonny kisses him, slow and soft. “Still, I appreciate it.”

“I will happily yell at the entire NYPD for you, Sonny.”

“I hope it won’t come to that, but thanks. Now, are you going to get off me so I can make dinner?” he asks.

Rafael groans. “Let’s just order in.”

“You realise one of us will still have to get up to answer the door, right?” Sonny laughs.

Rafael kisses the exposed skin of his neck. “Yeah but not yet.”

Sonny caresses his back, but agrees, digging his phone out of his pocket. Rafael listens to the contemplative noises his husband makes as he tries to pick dinner for them and feels grateful to have him so happy again – his Sonny being upset just isn’t right.

**Author's Note:**

> i know no one was this bad to sonny in canon but i also really hate how everyone (especially amaro and rollins) shit on him in his early eps and liv just does nothing about it
> 
> maybe leave a comment/kudos if you liked it and as always you can scream at me on tumblr ([@hefellfordean](https://hefellfordean.tumblr.com)) or twitter ([@angstypalermo](https://twitter.com/angstypalermo))


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